Where to stay

Get to know the historic port city of Halifax, staying Downtown at the waterfront. A number of engaging museums enlighten visitors about this Canadian gateway, including the Canadian Museum of Immigration, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, and the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site. Leave your hotel in the morning for breakfast at one of the longest continuously operating farmers markets in North America. Be sure to explore the impressive Halifax Central Library, named by CNN as one of the most stunning new buildings of 2014. Stay in Dartmouth and catch a ride on the oldest running saltwater ferry service between Dartmouth and Halifax.

The dining scene in Halifax is alive, well, and heating up. The city has in impressive number of pubs per capita, one of the largest in Canada. New and interesting restaurants are opening all the time. Stay in the North End for vegan restaurants, beer gardens, and happening coffee shops reminiscent of Brooklyn. Downtown hotels couple ocean views with cool new restaurants and shopping. Look for rooms on The Hydrostone, a mini neighborhood with a European ambiance, great pizza, and a pretty park. Consider staying across the water in Dartmouth for famously huge croissants, hipster hangouts, and great views of downtown Halifax.

From Shakespeare by the Sea performances to walking trails overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the South End's Point Pleasant Park is a favorite spot for outdoor recreation. Stay close to this forested park at the tip of the Halifax peninsula and play outdoors as the Haligonians do. Look for a room in Enfield to be close to Oakfield Provincial Park and Shubenacadie-Grand Lake, a day-use area with a small beach and walking trails. For a lively community feel and quiet natural surroundings, reserve accommodations in Musquodoboit Harbour. The coastal islands, mud flats, barrier beaches, and salt marshes make for fun exploration. Don't miss the bustling farmers market every weekend.